Method and apparatus for cooling liquids



Jan. 29, 1929. 4 1,700,430

5. L. BRIGHT METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COOLING LIQUIDS LWaTzr InleT [I I I: 2.3

1X1 EXTOR.

BY W

A TTORNE Y.

Patented Jan. 29, 19 29.. v

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SETH I4. BRIGHT, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO (3'. F. LATHROP AND JOHN T; l

DODGE, BOTH OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

- METHOD AND .APIPARATUS FOB COOLING LIQUIDS.

Application med August 20, 1927. Serial No; 214,394

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for cooling liquids and more particularly in improvements in an apparatus of this character which. materially-efi'ects 5 economy in the use of a refrigerant and expedites the cooling operation to a great extent. The device finds particular utility in dairies for cooling milk and is especially desirable in localities where ice is not a natural 1o resource and artificial ice is hard to obtain.-

It is therefore the primary objectof my invention to provide a cooling apparatus designed to decrease the temperature of the milk without the use of ice, and to such an in extent that the same may be transported over comparatively long distances free from bacteria. Thus by virtue of the present invention dairy roduction is encouraged and rendered possi 1c in localities where it has hereao tofore been considered impractical. 'In the type employed, wateris relied upon to lower the temperature of the milk. However, it has been found that in actual practice this temperature is not suificiently low to warrant shipping any appreciable distance.

For the purpose of effecting economy the present invention contemplates an arrange: ment whereby the same refrigerant may be so usedthroughout various cycles or in other words, to cool a comparatively large quantity of milk.

In practicing my improved method, the milk or other liquid to be cooled is permitted at to flow over a water cooled container into a This operation func- I suitable receptacle. tions to lower the temperature of the liquid to the temperature of the water. However, as heretofore pointed out, this temperature an is not sufficiently low and accordingly the water is drained from the container and a refrigerating medium is substituted therefor, whereupon the milk or liquid is again conducted to the container and further cooled.-

The several objects and advantages of this invention and a detailed description of the several steps of the method as well as an ap paratus for carrying out the method will be made more apparent as this description proso ceeds, especially when considered in COI1I18C tion with the accompanying drawings wherein,

Figure 1 illustrates semi-diagrammatically the apparatus for cooling the liquid, and

of coolers now more or less universally.

-Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View showing the cooling container.

While obviously the particular form and structural details of the apparatus employed for cooling the liquid should in nowise be considered as limitin the broad interpretation of the present lnvention, nevertheless one form of such apparatus which in practice has been found to give extremely eflici'ent results is illustrated herein somewhat in detail.

a circuitous passage for the liquid to be cooled and the interior surface providesfor the passage of the cooling medium. Arranged upon the lower end of the container for collecting the liquid after the same has been cooled is a suitable trough 13 having an outlet port 14: through which the liquid may pass into a receptacle. As heretofore pointed out, water is the first medium used to cool the milk or liquidvfrom body heat to water I temperature, and accordingly the container is provided with an inlet passage 15 through which water is admitted into the container to the convolutions of the corrugations and 16 designates the outlet passage for this eooling medium.

After the milk or liquid is water cooled, it is again placed into the receptacle 10 and a cooling medium such as brine chilled by a refrigerant is introduced into the container. For accomplishing this result, I provide a tank 17 adapted to contain a solution of brine and is provided at the lower end thereof with an outlet port 18 which is connected to the interior of the container 12 by means-of the pipe 19 having a valve 20 therein. The tank is further provided with an inlet port 21 connected by means of the pipe 22 having a valve 23 therein to the pressure side of a pump 24, the suction side of the pump 24 being connected by means of the pipe to a receiving receptacle 24', which as shown receives one end of the pipe 26 having the valve 27 therein. The pipe 26 connects into the container 12 and constitutes an outlet pipe for the brine. With such an arrange- "tank 17. The refrigerant, upon operating the valve 30, flows directly into the brine and expands therein to thus cool the same and escapes through'the top of the tank. Thus inasmuch as the gas is supplied directly into the brinetank under pressure and escapes through the top thereof, it is desirable to provide some means for separating or segregating the brine from the refrigerant. This is accom lished in the present instance by means 0 the separator 31, which may be of any suitable construction, but preferably of the type illustrated in my co-pending application Serial No. 214,396 filed co-lncident herewith. It will further be noted that the amount of refrigerant admitted to the brine tankmust be regulated so that the brine may be maintained in a liquid state, and so that the liquid to be cooled will not be frozen. To assist the operator in determining the amount of refrigerant necessary to cool the brine to Y the desired temperature I provide a thermometer upon the brine tank which will accuratelv indicate the temperature of the same.

ile it is believed that the operation of the device will bethoroughly understood from the foregoing description a brief outline of the same will be given herein as fol lows. Water is first admitted through the passage 15 into the spirally arranged passages formed by the corrugations on the container 12 to cool the same, and the valve controlling the passage 11 is openedpermitting the fluid or milk to be cooled to flow down the exterior surface of the container into the trough 13 where it is collected by any suitable receptacle and placed back into the container 10, the valve controlling the passage 11 being closed. The water is then drained from the container and-the valve 20 is opened permitting the refrigerating medium contained in thetank 17 to flow through the passages formed in the interior of the container. the valve controlling the pipe 11 is then opened and the liquid contained in the receptacle which is now at water temperature is further cooled by flowing over the circuitous passage formed in the periphery of the container. After the liquid has been thoroughly cooled,

the valve 27 is opened permitting the refrigerant to drain into thecontainer 24 from which it may be pumped back into the tank 17 by means of the pump 24.

Thus from the foregoin it will immediately apparent to those ski led in this artv thatthe herein described apparatus affords an economical process ofcoolmg a liquid, and while the apparatus herein suggested as suitable for use in carrying out this process may be used to advantage, nevertheless, it will be immediately obviors that various other types of apparatus may be employed in connection with this process with equal facility.

.operable after the completion of the initial cooling for admitting a second cooling medium into the container for thesame.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a container over which a liquid to :be cooled is adapted to flow, said container having a passage therein for a cooling medium, means for admitting water and the like into said passage for initially cooling the liquid and means operable thereafter for admitting a second cooling medium into said passage, said second cooling medium havin a temperature lower than said first mentioned cooling medium, whereby the liquid is further cooled. 3. In a device. of the class. described, the combination with a container having spirally arranged corrugations in its periphery thereof providing a circuitous path for the liquid to be cooled and further providing a passage for the cooling medium, means for admitting a cooling medium into'said passage for in itially cooling the liquid, and means for subsequently admitting a solution of chilled {urine1 into said passage to further cool the iqui 4. In the method of cooling a liquid those steps which consist in directing the liquid to be cooled over a surface. initially cooling the surface with a relatively inexpensive coolin medium and thereafter independently coo mg the surface with a solution of chilled brine. I

5. In the method of cooling a liquid those steps which consist in flowin the liquid to be cooled over a surface whlle cooling the same with a relatively inexpensive cooling medium, withdrawing said cooling medium and subse uently running the liquid to be cooled over t e container a second time while cooling the surface with a solution having a temfurthercooling perature substantially lower than the first mentioned cooling medium.

6. In the method of cooling 9. liquid those steps which consist in flowing the liquid to be cooled over a surface while cooling the sanie with a relatively inexpensive cooling medium, Withdrawing said cooling medium and subsequently running the liquid to be cooled over the container a second time while cooling the container with a solution of chilled brine, withdrawing the brine from the container and pumping the same back to its source whereby it may be used a second time for cooling the liquid.

7. In the method of cooling a liquid, those steps be cooled over a surface having a passage for which. consist in directing the liquid to.

cooling mediums, intially cooling said surface by passing a relatively inexpensive cooling medium through said passage, chilling a second cooling medium b refrigeration, and further cooling said sur ace by passing said second cooling medium through said passage.

8. In the method. of cooling a liquid, those steps which consist in directing the liquid to be cooled over a surface provided with a passage for cooling mediums, initially cooling said surface by passing water, through said passage, chilling a brine solution by refrigeration and subsequently further cooling said surface by passing said brine through said passage. I

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

SETH L. BRIGHT. 

